


Aquila

by Sophisticated_Adult



Series: We Mapped The Stars [5]
Category: Transformers Generation One
Genre: Gen, Skywarp is trying his best, an attempt was made
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-25
Updated: 2016-07-25
Packaged: 2018-07-26 17:17:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7582915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sophisticated_Adult/pseuds/Sophisticated_Adult
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A tribute/contribution to the fanfic trope of 'Hot Rod walks three feet from the Ark and immediately gets kidnapped.'</p><p>Skywarp isn't having a great day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Aquila

He’d been sorry to leave Cybertron behind. But still, a whole new world! Who wouldn’t want to go exploring where they never could before? Who wouldn’t have done exactly what Roddy had?

Pretty much everyone, it turned out, because he’d barely been half an hour out from the Ark before being swooped upon, and then a dizzying, lurching sensation ripped through his spark before he was dumped on a cold cave floor.

On the upside, it didn’t look like his captor was having a good time of it either.

“I just…geez, this is embarrassing. I thought you were the other one? The red Bumblebee?”

It took Hot Rod a moment to place a name to the description. “Cliffjumper?” Kup had given them all cheat sheets when they’d arrived, and Cliffjumper was indeed down as 'red Bumblebee.’

“Yeah.” Skywarp grumbled. “He woulda been a useful hostage. You’re one of the new guys, aren’tcha? Just some random kid who probably doesn’t even know anything.”

“Hey!”

“Look, how am I supposed to tell you Autobots apart? You’re all cars and half of you are red. It’s an easy mistake to make.”

“Cliffjumper has these little horns,” Hot Rod replied after double-checking the profile just to make sure he wasn’t thinking of someone else. “And I have these sweet decals.” He indicated the flames on his chest. “That’s how you can tell us apart.”

“I guess,” Skywarp grudgingly admitted. He wasn’t a liar, and he was a big enough mech to know style when he saw it even if it was the enemy. Besides, he liked the yellow pseudo-winglets the kid had. It wasn’t actually anything like a little seekerlet, but it was probably the closest a grounder could come to the look, and Skywarp could appreciate that. But still…

“This is the worst,” he groaned. He could already hear Starscream’s gloating. “'Oh Skywarp, how brave of you to apprehend such a dangerous enemy,'” he singsonged in a weird, high-pitched rasp. “'Surely Megatron will be most impressed with your heroic efforts at subduing this fearsome foe.'” Hot Rod let out a snort of laughter. He could take a wild guess at who that was supposed to be. “What, is that what Starscream sounds like?”

“All the time.” Skywarp sighed. “He’s the worst.”

“Yikes.”

An almost companionable silence settled. Roddy knew he was in big trouble right now, but it was honestly really hard to be scared of Skywarp at the moment. He just looked like he needed a hug.

“Oh, I’m Hot Rod, by the way,” he said, realising Skywarp still didn’t know who he actually was. “Definitely not Cliffjumper.”

Skywarp shrugged. “I only know Ultra Magnus from your lot because Megatron was yelling about you getting through the other day. I mean, it’s basically just him we have to worry about, right? Rest of you is a bunch of kids and that one old guy who’s probably just going to fall over.”

Kup would be proud for how Roddy bit back his protest. Being underestimated was a _good_ thing. He’d never forget when he’d been told that, honestly, it was most of the reason for their survival back on Cybertron. Magnus’ group wasn’t the threat, Elita’s was. They’d just been surviving, whereas it was the femmes taking an active stance against Shockwave.

“Y-yeah, we’re pretty useless.” Hot Rod let out a shaky laugh. “Amazing we got here at all, really.”

“What am I gonna _do?_ I’ll be a laughingstock if I bring _you_ in!” Skywarp wailed.

“I could pretend it never happened,” Roddy offered. “Or – or I could tell everyone how tough you are. I barely got away with my life.”

Skywarp’s optics brightened. “Really? You’d do that for me?”

“Sure.”

“Wow, thanks, kid, you’re all right. Sure you don’t wanna join the Decepticons? Nah, I’m joking. I’ll give you a lift back.”

Ten minutes and a thorough scolding from Ultra Magnus later, Roddy was a free mech.


End file.
